The references cited throughout the present application are not admitted to be prior art to the claimed invention.
Mass spectrometry is capable of detecting large numbers of analytes in complex mixtures. A wide range of different analytes can be detected including those of environmental and biological importance.
Peptides are an example of biologically important analytes. Peptides such as proteins interact in complex ways to regulate cellular functions. Small changes in the abundance of particular proteins or their modifications can significantly alter the functioning of a cell, can impact on the overall health of an animal, and can provide an indication as to the health of a cell or animal.
Proteomic studies measuring peptide expression are increasingly making use of mass spectrometry. (Smith, Trends in Biotechnology 20(12, Suppl):S3-S7, 2002.)